Combination of a rotary index and a support therefor



0 Umted States Patent 1 1 3,550,980

[ 72] Inventor Hildaur L. Neilsen [56] References Cited 1 2 2 8 922 J- UNITED STATES PATENTS PP 2,168,323 8/1939 Bruen 312/186X [221 FM May 29,1969 2,541,185 2/1951 Adams 312/186 [45] Patented Dec. 29, 1970 3,279,471 10/1966 Rulna 312/186 [73] Ass1gnee Zephyr American Corporation L m Ci NY, Primary Examiner-Patnck D. Lawson a corporation f N Y k Att0rney-Robert Henderson [54] ggg g g l ggggg INDEX ANDA ABSTRACT: A bent stiff support member of a rotary index 8 Claims 6 Dra has a relatively rigid foot portion extending into and clamped wmg within receptive marginal and bottom recesses of a base ele- [52] [1.8. Cl. 312/186 ment having sufficient stability to hold the rotary index against [5 l Int. A47b 63/00; tilting. The index is firmly held in an accessible position above B43f9/00 and clear of the base element, and the latter is adapted to a use [50] Field otSear-ch 312/186, related to the use of the rotary index as, for example, use as a 183 185 memo paper holder.

PATENTEDDEBZQ I970 3; 550,980

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR:

HILDAUR L. NEILSEN A T TORNE Y COMBINATION OF A ROTARY INDEX AND A SUPPORT THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Articles commonly provided for use on a desk or table top take up considerable areas on said top if each such article is maintained as a separate entity. It has. therefore, become quite common to rigidly combine some such articles to conserve space on a desk (for example) and to maintain the articles on the desk in an orderly arrangement.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of support portions of one such article, e.g. a rotary index, and recessed portions of another such article, e.g. a memo-paper holder; such portions of the two articles being so shaped as to enable them to be readily interconnected rigidly or to be readily disconnected. The connection means of this invention are preferably, but not necessarily, intended for use on two articles having somewhat related uses as, for example, a rotary index containing a great volume of data and a memo-paper holder, the paper therein being readily accessible for noting thereon particular data derived from the index.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view of one side of a rotary index having supporting means according to this invention, the index being shown in side elevation and a base element part of said supporting means being shown in a vertical plane extending from front to rear and approximately centrally of said base element.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the opposite side of said index and its supporting means.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of said base element, including fragmentarily, a lower, extremity portion of a stiff support member and means for securing the latter to the base element.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus disclosed in FIGS. 1-3; the index, its supporting means and means for securely interconnecting the index and its support means being shown in exploded relationship.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view substantially on the lines 5-5 of FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of a common type of telephone instrument showing an alternative use of the supporting means of this invention for mounting the rotary index upon such a telephone. I

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED ROTARY INDEX AND ITS SUPPORTING MEANS The combination of this invention comprises a rotary index A, a base element B, and support means C coacting with said index and base element for approximately rigidly supporting said index on said ,base element.

The disclosed index comprises a drum 11 carried upon and rotatable about a horizontal, bearing portion 12 of a relatively stiff support member 13 formed of stiff wire or rod stock bent approximately to the shape shown in the drawing. The drum 1! includes integral rails 14 upon which index cards of a circular card stack 15 are loosely held in place on the drum.

The bearing portion 12 of the support member has a free termination at one end of the drum 11, and the latter, at that end, is provided with an integral circular knob 16 by manipulation of which the drum 11 may be rotated to bring any card in the stack 15 to an upper part of the stack for viewing or for the making of notations thereon.

The rotary index hereinbefore generally detailed, exclusive of the supporting means, is well known in the subject art.

The support member 13 is shaped to include, as a part thereof, a rigidly integral upright support portion 17 continuing downwardly from the bearing portion 12. The support member 13, at the lower end of its support portion 17, integrally includes a forwardly extending U-shaped connection member 18 having two approximately parallel side portions 180 and 18b. relatively rigidly interconnected and spaced apart by a bridge portion 18c. The side-portion 18b is an integral continuation of the support portion 17, and the side portion 18a continues integrally into an upwardly projecting portion 19, terminating at a free extremity 19a which terminates sufficiently below the knob 16 to permit easy manipulation of the latter to-operate the rotary index.

The portions 17 and l9'of the support member may be similarly but oppositely bent as at 17b and 19b to give those two portions a wider span at their upper ends to correspond approximately to the length of the drum 11, also to hold the index in a desired position in relation to a base element hereinafter described, and additionally to give the support member 13 a generally conventionalized shape.

The means for supporting the rotary index include not only the bent wire member 13, but also the base element 8 and means by which the connection member 18 of the wire member 13 is secured to said base element.

. The base element 8 may be of any platformlike shape of such dimensions in a horizontal plane'as to hold the index A stably and suitably spaced above the base element.

The base element B is shown herein as a generally flat paper holding structure formed with a rectangular recess 20 for holding therein plural sheets of memo-paper 21 upon which data derived from cards of the index stack 15 may be noted. A bottom web 22, defining the recess 20,. preferably slopes downwardly toward the front of the base element (at the left of FIG. 1) and a backwall 23 of the base element extends below the back end of the web 22. Thus, when the base element rests upon a flat desk or table top, the paper in the recess 20 slopes enough to facilitate writing thereon by hand, and an open area 24 is formed at the under side of the base to accommodate therein the connection member 18 and clamping means for securing the latter member-to the base element B.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1, the 'web 22 is thickened at its back end to form a mounting portion 25 of triangular shape in vertical section, in the center of which portion is fixedly embedded the head of a downwardly projecting bolt 26.

The mounting portion 25 has a bottom surface 27 which tapers forwardly to give the mounting portion a forward-end thickness corresponding approximately to the general thickness of the web 22. The web 22, at'the forward end of the mounting portion 25, is provided with a rigidly integral, downwardly extending, transverse, abutment flange 28.

The backwall 23 of the base element (HO. 4) is formed with a pair of slots 29 to accommodate lower parts of the upright portions 17 and 19 of the stiff support member 13, enabling the connection member 18 to project horizontally or nearly horizontally into the open area 24 at the under side of the base element B. When properly so projected, the side portions 18a and 18b of the connection member engage the bottom surface 27, and the bridge portion 18c abuts the rear face of the flange 28.

The connection member 18 is firmly held in its described, properly projected position by a washer 30 and a nut 31 (FIG. 5). The washer 30 may advantageously be rectangular and wavy in shape so that its ends may firmly clamp the side portions 18a and 18b of the connection member 18 and so that its central portion comes close to or engages the bottom of the base members mounting portion 25.

The base element B may beof metal or of relatively rigid plastic material, the support member 13 may be of substantially rigid or nonflexible metal wire or'rod stock, and the rotary index may be of any of the materials of which such indexes are commonly made.

The mounting portion 25 and related parts of the base element B and the connection member 18 and side portions 18a and 18b of the latter are so shaped as to interact as already described. Also, the bend or bends given to the upright por tion 17 of the support member 13 should be such as to hold the rotary index A in conveniently accessible position, so spaced and located above the base element B as to permit handwriting to be conveniently applied topaper contained in said base element.

FIG. 6 shows that if the support member 13 with the related rotary index A is separated from the base element B, the connection member 18 and adjoining portions of the support member 13 may be introduced into a finger recess 32 at the back of a common type of telephone to support the index in a position above and somewhat rearwardly of the telephone to render the index convenient for reference by the user of the telephone.

When thus associated with the telephone, the weight of the rotary index and portions of the support member 13 hold the connection member upwardly in back of a lip 33 of the telephone to prevent unintended separation of the index from the telephone.

lclaim:

1. The combination of a rotary index and a support therefor; said combination comprising a base element having a bottom surface portion adapted for resting upon a fiat surface, a transverse wall above said bottom surface portion defining a space thereunder, and an upright rear wall also partially defining said space and having an opening therein, a relatively rigid, upright support member, supporting said index at the latter's axis of rotation and having a laterally projecting portion at its lower end extending through said opening and into said space, and clamping means in said space for clamping said projecting portion to the under side of said transverse wall; the vertical dimension of said support member and the shape of the latter being such as to hold the index substantially spaced above said base element and with the center of gravity of said index located within vertical planes coinciding with the periphery of said bottom surface portion of the base element.

2. The combination according to claim 1, said support member integrally including a horizontal portion at its upper end serving as bearing means at the axis of rotation of said in dex.

3. The combination according to claim 1, said support member being of elongate material bent to support the index in its said position in which it is spaced above said base element.

4. The combination according to claim 1, said transverse wall partly defining a recess for receiving one or more sheets of paper therein and said support member being of such vertical dimension as to hold the index sufficiently above said base element to permit handwriting conveniently upon paper in said recess.

5. The combination according to'claim '1, said projecting portion being U-shaped and said rearwall having a second opening therein, the sides of said p roje'cting portion extending inwardly of the base through the latters two mentioned openings and substantially beyond said rear wall with a bridge portion of said projecting portion located within said space, and said clamping means coacting with said transverse wall and with the sides of said projecting" portion to clamp the latter firmly to said base element.

6. The combination according to claim 5, said transverse wall having a thickened portion at its back end, and said clamping means comprising a washer underlying said projecting portion, and a bolt fixed at one end thereof to said thickened portion and coacting with said washer to clamp said projecting portion firmly to the under side of said thickened portion.

7. The combination according to claim 6, said bolt extending between the sides of said projecting portion, and said washer underlying both said sides.

8. The combination of a rotary index and a support therefor; said combination comprising a base element having a bottom surface portion adapted for resting upon a flat surface, a transverse wall above said bottom surface portion defining a space thereunder, and an upright rear wall also partially defining said space and having an opening therein, a relatively rigid, upright support member, supporting said index at the latters axis of rotation and having a laterally projecting portion at its lower end extending through said opening and into said space, and clamping means insaid s ace for clamping said projecting portion to a wall portion 0 the base element which partly defines said space; the vertical dimension of said support member and the shape of the latter being such as to hold the index substantially spaced above said element and with the center of gravity of said index located within vertical planes coinciding with the periphery of said bottom surface portion of the base element. 

